Kolkata sizzles as temperature stays above 40 degrees C

Kolkata, April 20 (IANS) Kolkata continued to sizzle under a scorching sun for the third consecutive day Monday as the mercury rose over 40 degree Celsius. The streets were deserted in the afternoon as high humidity level added to the discomfort factor. The weatherman has ruled out any chance of a norwester - a type of storm which leads to cooling late afternoon at this point of the year - within the next day or two.

“Today (Monday) the forecast is, maximum temperature will hover around 40 degrees Celsius and the sky will be partly cloudy,” a duty officer at the Meteorological Office told IANS.

“There is no possibility of any norwester in a day or two,” he said.

Power cuts and a water crisis made the Monday morning further unpleasant as long queues of people with buckets and jars were seen at deep tubewells and street taps installed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The city has been under a heat spell for the last two days. The mercury level touched 40.8 degrees Celsius Saturday, five degrees Celsius above normal.

The situation became more suffocating Sunday, as the maximum temperature soared to 41.2 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in the city in April in the last 14 years.

Ice-cream and juice sellers are making a quick buck with thirsty city dwellers lining their shops to get some comfort from the sweltering heat.

An air conditioner dealer in south Kolkata said his business has gone up since Saturday. “Enquiries have doubled and sales have registered an increase,” he said.